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October 2023
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Ancient Wonders and Modern Insights My Lifelong Love of Museums
One of my earliest memories involves visiting the Fort Worth Museum of Natural History and feeling motion sick as the Omni Theater screen panned over downtown Fort Worth. And Wendy (a history major) and I love history so much that we spent our New Orleans honeymoon hitting every museum in town. A trip to the museum is one of my favorite ways to spend a day, so I was delighted when I learned October is National Museums and Galleries Month.
Many years later, my daughter wanted to see a Queen Nefertiti exhibit in Dallas, and I was more than happy to oblige. A different display detailed how Egyptian gods influenced Greek mythology. I found it all fascinating and would gladly visit again. I’m also jealous of my middle daughter, who recently returned from a trip to Cairo! Another museum right up my alley was the Natural Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. I was an associate attorney at a big law firm at the time and visiting on a business trip. The partner I’d traveled with recommended I check it out. I was off to an exciting start when I saw a bunch of Mexican federal police jump out the back of a truck with covered faces and machine guns drawn. I don’t know what the commotion was because I decided I better go right after I saw them run left! Despite that scare, the museum was incredible — possibly the best I’ve ever visited. I loved learning about how the Mayans and Aztecs lived. The highlight was the Sun Stone, an Aztec sculpture from the 1500s. Experts are uncertain whether its significance is religious, scientific, or political, but it was impressive. We’ve had a lot of fun visiting museums as a family over the years. We spent an amusing day at the Natural History Museum in New York as my youngest daughter tried to mimic the faces and poses of the people in every exhibit. More
mundane museums are also a lot of fun. I grew up loving the Log Cabin Museum in Fort Worth, where staff dress up like pioneers of the 1800s and spin wool. And who doesn’t love visiting the museum at Owens Spring Creek Farm in Richardson? We’ve been to flight museums in Galveston, Pensacola, and the Smithsonian in D.C. While at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, we saw the original “Old Glory” that was the inspiration for “The Star- Spangled Banner.” Perhaps the strangest museum we’ve ever visited was the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg, TN. There were countless shelves lined with kitschy knick-knacks. You could find salt and pepper shakers shaped like animals, fire trucks, vegetables, and anything else your heart desires. I can’t say it’s worth a special trip, but it was a good way to get out of the heat for a day! My favorite thing about museums is how they allow you to step into another world. They help us make sense of the present by contextualizing the past. No matter what period or topic you’re exploring, there’s always something to learn about ingenuity and human nature that we can apply to our lives today.
It seems like we were always camping out in museums in Boy Scouts. That same Fort Worth museum had a Soviet Space exhibit one year, and our troop, along with several others, got to spend the night at the museum. We also visited the Pate Museum of Transportation several times, which is sadly no longer around. We’d camp out overnight outside and take a tour of the museum during the day. The lunar module was probably my favorite. My passion for museums began early. Since ancient history has always been a favorite subject, I was thrilled when an exhibit on the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses the Great came to town while I was in high school. Funnily enough, what I remember best is getting separated from the group. I wandered around by myself and viewed all the exhibits before visiting the gift shop. I was poring over a book I wanted to buy when I heard my name over the loudspeaker; the rest of the school was on the bus and waiting for me!
-Aaron Miller
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Here come the scary decorations, pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, and spooky costumes because Halloween is just around the corner! These traditions are what make Halloween fun and exciting year after year. However, did you know that jack-o’-lanterns come from an Irish legend or that trick-or-treating comes from a historical ritual called “souling”? The Origins and Legends Behind Your Favorite Traditions As we prepare for Oct. 31 activities, here are some fun facts you might not know about Halloween! Halloween is based on a Celtic festival. Samhain, a pagan festival held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, celebrated both the harvest and the “dark” second half of the year. During this celebration, it was believed the barrier separating the spirits from the physical world would come down, allowing demons to enter and the spirits of all who passed away that year to move on to the next life. ‘Stingy Jack’ helped evolve jack-o’-lanterns. The Irish myth of a man named “Stingy Jack” goes like this: Stingy Jack invited the devil for a drink, and because he LET’S UNMASK HALLOWEEN:
Skin care is a popular topic — we can always find new trends or tips going viral on social media. However, with rampant misinformation and advertising mixed in, it can be hard to determine which routines are good for your skin and which can be damaging. Let’s look at four toxic skin care trends sure to do more harm than good. Slugging Many social media influencers and even celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian have sworn by coating their faces with Vaseline or another moisturizer to lock in moisture and improve the brightness and complexion of their skin. However, layering a substance on your skin can cause toxins, dirt, debris, and dead skin particles to become trapped, leading to potential irritation, breakouts, and infection — especially for those with oily or acne-prone skin. Physical Exfoliators While natural exfoliation of your facial skin is essential to remove dead skin particles, excess oils, and debris that can clog pores, Navigate Skin Care Trends Safely
didn’t want to pay, he convinced the devil to turn into a coin so he could buy their drinks. However, instead of paying, he placed the “coin” next to a cross in his pocket that prevented
the devil from returning to his original form. Once he freed the devil, Stingy Jack continued to trick him. When he died, God turned away
physical exfoliators such as scrubs containing crushed-up walnuts or apricot pits can be too harsh for your skin, causing micro-tears and leaving your face red and irritated. Instead, try products with milder chemical exfoliants like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs).
Stingy Jack with only coal to light his way, so he placed the coal in a carved-out turnip
Pore Strips and Vacuums Clean pores are the name of the game, but using pore strips or vacuums can be extremely damaging. When using a pore strip to remove blackheads, you stretch your pores, making them more susceptible to collecting debris and dirt. The strips can also contain chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin. The pore vacuum can have even worse effects: broken or dilated blood vessels and bruising. Charcoal Peel-Off Masks Charcoal peel-off masks are advertised as a giant pore strip for your whole face to help open up and clean out your pores. While charcoal is a natural compound, it’s still a chemical and can cause some severe and unwanted skin conditions such as excessive peeling, irritation, burning, and, in serious cases, scarring and infection. With so much conflicting information, it’s paramount to safeguard your skin. Always check with a licensed medical professional before jumping on the bandwagon. Take care of your skin — it’s yours for a lifetime!
to create a lantern. From there, people slowly transformed his “lantern” into the modern- day jack-o’-lantern!
Candy corn was once called chicken feed. Candy corn, which the Wunderlee Candy Company began producing in the late 1880s, is an extremely popular Halloween candy. In fact, today, about 35 million pounds of the candy are sold each year! When the Goelitz Candy Company brought it to the masses at the turn of the century, they called the sweet tricolored candy “Chicken Feed” because so many people worked on farms at the time. Their early ads exclaimed, “Something worth crowing for!”
Now you know! Happy Halloween!
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TRANSFORM YOUR FALL HARVEST INTO STUNNING INDOOR DECORATIONS!
If you have a backyard garden, you may find yourself looking for new ways to use all the crops you’ve grown. After all, there are only so many pumpkins you can carve, seeds you can roast, or squash you can spaghetti.
So, instead of looking up “squash recipes” for the hundredth time this week, consider these indoor decor tips that utilize your garden’s bountiful harvest! A Centerpiece Fall fruits and vegetables make great centerpiece arrangements because they have both seasonal colors and unique textures. Consider arranging a few squash or pumpkins in a bowl or basket and topping them with a bouquet of festive flowers. You can also mix herbs like basil, parsley, thyme, or rosemary into the bouquet for fragrance and a fuller appearance. Play with the different shapes and sizes of your gourds. Have them lean against each other or stack them for variation and depth in your display. A Natural Wreath Fresh herbs, flowers, or leaves from your fall harvest are perfect for an autumn wreath. All
you need is a wreath form, which you can buy from your local craft store or online, and some floral U-pins. Use large leaves as a base (pumpkin leaves are great), then layer on smaller seasonal herbs such as sage, rosemary, or oregano. Finally, attach some flowers to it! Squash or pumpkin blossoms work beautifully, but you can use any seasonal flower you have growing. An Autumnal Herb Swag A “door swag” is a traditional holiday decoration, and it’s an easy way to add some color to your door without creating an entire wreath. To make a swag, grab a few bundles of your favorite herbs, secure the stems with a rubber band, wrap them with twine, and tie them off, leaving a few inches of twine on both sides. Then, tie those ends together to form a loop and hang the swag on your door!
TAKE A BREAK
One-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins Inspired by NoraCooks.com
Ingredients
• 15 oz can pumpkin purée • 1/3 cup melted butter (or vegetable oil) • 1/2 cup unsweetened plant- based milk • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tbsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare muffin pan by greasing and placing paper liners. 2. In a large mixing bowl, add pumpkin, melted butter (or oil), milk, and brown sugar, then whisk until well combined and smooth. With a sifter, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices over the wet mixture. 3. Using a large wooden spoon, mix until just combined (do not over-mix). 4. Fill the muffin cups and bake for 22–25 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes and enjoy!
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214.292.4225 www.AaronMillerLaw.com 1400 Preston Road, Suite 118 Plano, Texas 75093
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Museums’ Timeless Treasures
2
Halloween’s Haunting History
Safe or Scary? Decoding Skin Fads
3
Use Your Garden’s Fall Bounty for Home Decor!
One-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins
4
Tummy Talks: Nourishing a Healthy Gut
5 Foods for a Healthy Digestive System
Yogurt Yogurt is an amazing source of probiotics, beneficial bacteria that support and balance your gut flora to prevent harmful bacteria from taking over. As a general tip, look for yogurt labeled “live cultures” for a tasty treat full of probiotics! Whole Grains Because whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat, are high in fiber, they promote optimal digestion and, in turn, a thriving gut. Fibrous foods also act as prebiotics, which facilitate the growth of beneficial bacteria. Berries Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries are not only high in fiber but also rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation all over the body. The fiber-antioxidant combination works wonders for gut health!
Sauerkraut Some people love sauerkraut, and others aren’t very fond of the fermented cabbage dish. However, those who can get past the acquired taste will find that sauerkraut is abundant in probiotics, as the fermentation process encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria to aid digestion. Tempeh Tempeh is a plant-based protein made from an Indonesian fermented soybean product. Because tempeh is fermented, it is a probiotic, but because it is made from soybeans, it is also a prebiotic, making it a powerhouse for creating beneficial gut bacteria. Incorporating these gut-friendly suggestions into your daily diet is a rewarding and delicious way to improve your gut health and, in turn, the health of your entire body. Remember, it all starts in the belly!
Gut health goes beyond your stomach — in fact, it plays a vital role in your overall well-being! Research shows that about 39 trillion bacteria live in your large intestines. Collectively, all of these bacteria make up your gut microbiome, which helps keep you healthy. A balanced gut also promotes proper digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and mental health.
For a healthy gut and body, start incorporating these five food types into your daily diet.
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